Transcript Born Smart?

Born Smart?
mindset
Mindset
Related to belief about ability
creates a whole mental world to live in
FIXED mindset - ability cannot change
GROWTH mindset - ability can change
(Dweck, 1999)
Measuring mindset
(Dweck, Chiu & Hong, 1995)
You have a certain amount of intelligence, and
you can’t really do much to change it
You can learn new things, but you can’t really
change how intelligent you are
Motivational
framework: goals (e.g.
Dweck & Elliot, 1983; Dweck
1986,1990,1991)
Learning goals vs performance
mastery and competence OR
demonstrating intellect
grades and marks reflect how
people are doing NOW OR
grades predict the future
increased performance and
enjoyment OR shy away from
challenges
Response to setbacks and
failures
(e.g.Diener & Dweck, 1978, 1980)
Resilient vs helpless
Pay attention to learning
Focus on what they are learning rather than
feeling
Attempt new ways to do things
Use self-motivating statements such as ‘I
can’
When faced with impossible to pass tests
they will factor in other reasons for failure
Mindset, brain and feedback
(Mangels et al, 2006)
each time participants got a wrong
answer they were given the correct
answer
They got an unexpected retest afterwards
People oriented differently towards
negative feedback
fixed mindset showed less attention to the
formative information and more to how
they felt
Those with a growth mindset did better on
the re test
Effort effect
( e.g. Legget & Dweck,
1986; Mueller & Dweck,
1997)
reflection of low intelligence OR
necessary part of success
Hard work means ‘I don’t get it’
OR means I need to try harder
effort = lack of ability OR effort =
success
Growth mindset
more open to learning willing to confront
challenges, able to stick at difficult tasks and
bounce back from failures
(Dweck, 1999)
Better performance
school transitions (Blackwell, Trzesniewski, &
Dweck, 2007)
demanding business tasks (Kray, 2007)
difficulties in relationships (Kammrath &
Dweck, 2006)
Can mindset
change?
(Bergen, 1992)
people who read a growth
mindset article changed their
mindset and their persistence in
the face of setbacks
Can mindset be
taught?
(Blackwell, Trzesniewski, and
Dweck, 2007)
8 session built around study skills
the growth mindset group also learned
about the brain and how the brain is
like a muscle; the more you use it the
more connections it makes
improved in motivation (greater
conscientiousness, and more effort into
the classroom learning) and grades
Math Achievement
Can mindset be taught?
(Aronson, Fried & Good 2002)
watching a video about the brain and its huge
potential
writing a letter to struggling younger student
more enjoyment of learning at University and
better grades
Other ways to change a
mindset
feedback
Tutor, teacher, parent belief about young
person ability
Feedback (Mueller &
Dweck, 1998)
Praised for effort
Praised for ability
goals
90% of the group
created learning
goals
66% of the group
created
performance goals
enjoyment
continued
decreased
persistence
continued
decreased
performance
improved
declined
lied about scores
one individual
40%
Number of problems
solved before failure
Pygmalion effect
(Rosenthal & Jacobson, 1968)
Teacher expectancy effect
teachers were told that tests indicated that
some children would bloom over the coming
school year ( pupils were randomly assigned)
The bloomers group made greater gains in
achievement over the year
Similar findings have emerged in other areas;
university, business, military, banking (e.g.
Eden, 1990)
Managers beliefs
(Heslin, Wanderwalle & Latham, 2006)
Managers who adopt a fixed mindset are less
good at recognising real changes in staff
members
they are less likely to help those they are
managing
teaching mindset changed beliefs and
behaviour; managers gave more and better
suggestions to employees during appraisals
and were more likely to notice improvements
Born smart?
mindset has a significant impact
on motivation and performance,
Beliefs can be changed
Thanks!
Link and further reading
http://www.centreforconfidence.co.uk/pp/overview.php?p=c2lkPT
Ez
Dweck, C.S., (1999) Self theories: Their Role in Motivation and
Personality